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Twilight (novel)
| miniseries = Mission Gamma | date = May—July 2376 | published = September 2002 | format = paperback | omnibus = These Haunted Seas | pages = 504 | ISBN = ISBN 0743445600 }} Twilight is a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel by David R. George III. It was published in 2002 and was the first novel of the Mission Gamma miniseries. Description ;From the book jacket: The time has come… for a new era of exploration. With the Dominion War behind them, the crew of the [[USS Defiant (NX-74205) (II)|USS ''Defiant]] journeys through the wormhole as Commander Elias Vaughn leads a "corps of discovery" to blaze new trails into the unexplored reaches of the Gamma Quadrant.'' :The time has come… for a civilization to reach a crossroads. As political forces throughout the Alpha Quadrant intersect at Deep Space 9 to determine the future of Bajor, the planet's theological unity threatens to shatter. And for Colonel Kira Nerys, the path of the Prophets may become a road to ruin. :The time has come… for a father and daughter to confront their past while a mother and son fight for the future, for lovers to be tested and for friendships to transform, and for worlds on opposite ends of the galaxy to face the dusk… or the dawn. Synopsis :Following the resolution of the Gateways crisis, the Defiant leads the effort to resettle thousands of Europani from their refuge on Torona IV. However, the Jarada are angered that their payment of intelligence on the Gateways is now worthless and they attack the Defiant. The ship narrowly escapes and Prynn is badly injured, spurring Vaughn to push harder for a reconciliation with his daughter. She resists his efforts for a personal relationship but agrees to treat him more cordially in professional situations, her attitude almost getting her reassigned from the three-month mission of exploring the Gamma Quadrant. The Defiant undergoes repairs and refits to install science labs and enhanced library computer capacity. Charivretha zh’Thane again confronts Thirishar ch’Thane about his responsibilities to their people; he reacts poorly when his bondmates—Thavanichent th’Dani, Vindizhei sh’Rraazh, and Shathrissía zh’Cheen—arrive with the same agenda, though he does agree to return home for the shelthreth upon the completion of the GQ mission. Shar’s bondmates remain on the station, dealing with their own personal issues; wildcard Thriss in particular does not cope well. Vaughn is anxious to explore, feeling like he’s waited decades to begin, and evokes Lewis and Clark’s “Corps of Discovery” to commemorate the mission. Kasidy warns Kira of a possible schism in the Vedek Assembly over the Ohalu prophecies. Kira earns Taran’atar’s respect and a measure of understanding when she tries one of his training programs. She encourages him to see more of the station to better understand other cultures, though after a hostile run-in with Nog, he only explores the station while shrouded. This leads to two incidents in which he is discovered skulking around the daycare and Quark’s bar, and more poor reactions. Trier has negotiated a generous contract for herself as Quark’s new dabo girl, though she sees herself more as a business partner than an employee. She unilaterally hires a dabo boy, Hetik, and though Quark is incensed on several levels, both she and Hetik draw enough business to keep their jobs. The USS Mjolnir ''delivers the belligerent Admiral Leonard James Akaar to the station. Akaar questions Kira over Bajor’s commitment to Cardassian reconstruction, its handling of Europani refugees, and its growth within the Alpha Quadrant community. Though frustrated by his interrogations, she’s excited to learn that they’re the first step in considering Bajor’s renewed bid for Federation membership. Akaar and zh’Thane join First Minister Shakaar and Second Minister Asarem Wadeen in touring Bajor and in preparing for an official summit on DS9, to include delegations from Trill (Ambassador Seljin Gandres, aide Hiziki Gard) and Alonis (Ambassador Tel Ammanis Lent). After only a few days of talks, Shakaar announces that Bajor ''will join the Federation. Most people are thrilled, though Quark and Ro feel there will be no place for them within the new order; they grow closer and Ro agrees to a date with Quark. Vaughn, (XO) Exri Dax, Bashir, Nog, Shar, and Prynn explore to the Gamma Quadrant, making first contact with the peaceful and friendly Vahni Vahltupali. The Vahni are roughly humanoid, but lack any speech or auditory organs, instead communicating through patterns of light and color on their skin. Nog helps to engineer a translator that includes a mesh worn over the chest, replicating the Vahni language and converting it to audio for the Starfleet crew. Though only on the verge of warp capability, they have met other species and initiated contact with the Defiant. The mission goes exceedingly well until an energy pulse shatters the Vahni moon and wreaks havoc on the planet. Thousands are killed, and though the Defiant crew are able to deflect the largest moon fragments from striking the planet and killing many more, Ensign Gerda Ronness is killed in the effort. Ezri privately deals with the loss, as her orders led to Ronness’ death, and Bashir over-worries about her, but he is rebuffed as Ezri’s feelings are not affecting her duties. The Vahni inform Vaughn that the pulses have been hitting their world for years, though they are getting stronger and faster; the next pulse will destroy the planet. The Defiant traces the pulse to its source: a barren, abandoned planet in an otherwise pulverized star system. The atmosphere is too thick and irradiated to scan or transport through, so Vaughn, Shar, and Tenmei take a shuttle to the surface. Energy discharges cause the shuttle to crash kilometers away from the vortex at ground zero, and Shar is badly injured. Vaughn covers the remaining distance to the vortex on foot while Prynn repairs the transporter and cares for Shar; they experience distorted memories and feelings of abandonment and extreme loss. On Defiant, a strange gray mass appears, resisting scans and putting Ezri into a coma when she touches it. Upon reviving, she insists that the mass is alive and the crew deduce that it extends through both normal and subspace. Dax reconnects with the mass, despite Bashir’s protestations, and learns the history of the planet and the vortex. The world was once home to the Prentara, a pre-warp species with an extensive virtual reality network. They inadvertently created the vortex and discovered something they called the Thoughtspace on the other side. The Thoughtspace greatly augmented the VR network but began sending energy pulses through the vortex, causing widespread damage and driving the Prentara to madness; wars, mass suicides, and other disasters eradicated the entire population. The Prentara called the beings who inhabited the Thoughtspace the Inamuri, but in fact the Thoughtspace itself was a single creature living in complete isolation in its own pocket universe. Having never encountered another life-form, it defended itself against the Prentara with the pulses, but was terribly lonely when its defense unintentionally wiped out the Prentara, which it considered both invaders and saviors (from its isolation) simultaneously. Since then, the Inamuri has been using the pulses to widen the vortex and push through to reconnect with other beings. The Defiant crew send their intel to the surface in a probe, along with explosives and a plan to seal the vortex. However, after reading Dax’s report and “communing” with the Inamuri (through his memories), Vaughn refuses to trap the Inamuri in eternal solitude, instead altering the explosives to fully open the vortex. The Inamuri fully emerges onto the planet, saving the lives of the away team and enabling the Defiant to recover them. Reexamining their memories and confronting their emotional traumas (through the lens of the Inamuri) bring Vaughn and Prynn to a deeper understanding with themselves and each other. Years ago, Vaughn’s orders led to his wife Ruriko’s death, and his pain kept him from being there for Prynn when she most needed him. Now, though, they can both forgive him and move forward together. References Characters :Leonard James Akaar • Aleco Vel • Rey Alfonzo • Asarem Wadeen • Julian Bashir • Sam Bowers • Brestol • John Candlewood • Jeannette Chao • Shathrissia zh'Cheen • • Thavanichent th'Dani • Dax (symbiont) • Ezri Dax • Eivos Calan • Enkar Sirsy • Etana Kol • Vic Fontaine • Frool • Seljin Gandres • Hiziki Gard • Gavi • • Grimp • Hetik • • Edgardo Juarez • Kira Nerys • Tel Ammanis Lent • Cathy Ling • Akellen Macet • Kaitlin Merimark • Mireh • Morn • • Nog • Bryanne Permenter • Quark • Krissten Richter • Vindizhei sh'Rraazh • Ro Laren • Gerda Roness • Rozahn Kather • Selzner • Jason Senkowski • Shakaar Edon • Shul Torem • Grazia Silverio • Taran'atar • Prynn Tenmei • Charivretha zh'Thane • Thirishar ch'Thane • T'rb • Treir • Elias Vaughn • Ventu • Kasidy Yates • Yevir Linjarin Acto Viri • Buzz Aldrin • Jonathan Archer • Neil Armstrong • Blessed Exchequer • Chorna • William Clark • Michael Collins • Corat Damar • Darhe'el • Audrid Dax • Curzon Dax • Jadzia Dax • Lela Dax • Tobin Dax • Skrain Dukat • Eivos Audj • Eleen • Leif Ericson • Flanner Posh • Galoren Sen • Elim Garak • Alon Ghemor • Tekeny Ghemor • John Harriman • Hatram Nabir • Kalena Hoku • Itamis Nath • Jalia • Gregory Jarvis • Edward Jellico • Kaval • Mikaela Leishman • Meriwether Lewis • Ethan Locken • Ferdinand Magellan • Aamin Marritza • Phillipa Matthias • Christa McAuliffe • McEntee • Ronald McNair • Elaine Mello • Alejandro Montenegro • Monyodin • Alynna Nechayev • Odo • Opaka Sulan • Ellison Onizuka • Jean-Luc Picard • Pralon • Judith Resnik • Reydau • Rionoj • Rom • William Ross • Dick Scobee • Shetthius • Shintral • Benjamin Sisko • Jake Sisko • Joseph Sisko • Michael J. Smith • Ann Spillane • Demora Sulu • Hikaru Sulu • Synta Kayanil • Ruriko Tenmei • Alfred Tennyson • Tora Ziyal • Ungtae • Walter • Winn Adami • Worf • Zherathrizar Locations :Adarak • Alpha Quadrant • Ashalla • Assay office • Bajor • Brintall • Deep Space 9 • Gamma Quadrant • Kendra Province • Operations center • Promenade • Quark's • Replimat • Sisko's house • Station commander's office • Torona IV • Torona system • Vahni system • • Yolja River • Andor • Beta VI • Berengaria VII • Beta Antares IV • B'hala • Canopus Planet • Cape Canaveral • Capella • Cardassia • Caves of Mak'ala • Chin'toka system • Dahkur Province • Delta Quadrant • Derna • Earth • Endalla • Europa Nova • Farius Prime • Ferenginar • The Flames • The Forest • Hawaii • Jeraddo • Lecelon • Museum of Bajoran History and Art • Omarion Nebula • Outer Islands • Pacific Ocean • Pentabo • Praxis • Rigel • Rintanna • Rome • The Runners • Sindorin • Sol • The Temple • Verillia • Wyntara Mas Province Starships and vehicles : (Type-10 shuttlecraft) • ( ) • ( ) • ( ) • Jarada warship • ( ) • (Type-10 shuttlecraft) • ( ) • Apollo 11 • Arieto • • • • • Kamal • Kree-thai • • • • Races and cultures :Alonis • Andorian • Bajoran • Bolian • Capellan • Cardassian • Ferengi • Human (Europani) • Inamuri • Jem'Hadar • Lurian • Mathenite • Melkotian • Orion • Rintannan • Tellarite • Trill • Vahni Vahltupali • Yridian Betazoid • Breen • Changeling • Comes-in-the-night-kills-many • Gorn • Hirogen • Iconian • Jarada • Klingon • Mugato • Pah-wraith • Petraw • Prentara • Prophets • Romulan • Tholian • Vorta • Vulcan States and organizations :Bajoran Militia • Cardassian Union • Dominion • Ohalavaru • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets • Vedek Assembly Bajoran Archeological Authority • Cardassian Liberation Front • Corps of Discovery • Federation Department of Temporal Investigations • Founders • Orion Syndicate • Promenade Merchants' Association • Starfleet Corps of Engineers • Ten Tribes of Capella Science and technology :ablative armor • benzocyatizine • biceps • Burkhardt's disease • chromium • cloaking device • companel • cordrazine • cortical stimulator • delactovine • deuterium • holosuite • Houdini • Iconian gateway • impulse engine • inertial damper • isoboramine • jevonite • ketracel-white • orb • Orb of the Emissary • Orb of Memory • Orb of Prophecy and Change • pattern enhancer • Prentaran interface • pulse phaser • pulse phaser cannon • quantum torpedo • rodinium • shatterframe • stellar cartography • Symbalene blood burn • tricorder • warp engine • warp nacelle Ranks and titles :captain • colonel • dabo boy • dabo girl • Emissary of the Prophets • First Minister • fleet admiral • honored elder • kai • lieutenant • Minister of Defense • Minister of State • sergeant • sub-nagus • teer Other references :Advanced Tactical Training • alva • Andorian ale • Argelian sparkling wine • Argelian teacake • Ascension of the Emissary • Attainder • aurowaqqa • Bajor at Peace • Bajoran religion • Christopher Pike Medal of Valor • City of B'hala • conference room • crossover bridge • dabo • Dominion War • Ferengi Rules of Acquisition • foraiga • gargoyle • garlic • grosz • hasperat • jebret • Kaferian apple compote • kagannerra • katterpod • kava • kava nut • Koltari stew • mapa bread • Maraltian seev-ale • moba jam • Occupation of Bajor • orb experience • pagh'tem'far • pasta fagioli • pooncheen • pooncheenee • Prime Directive • pylchyk • raktajino • Saurian brandy • shelthreth • Siege of AR-558 • Skorrian fritter • snail juice • springball • Sulu shuttle stunt • surfing • Tarkalean tea • tranya • treni cat • • vole fighting • When the Prophets Cried • Yridian brandy Appendices Background information * Twilight marked the first appearance of Leonard James Akaar, now a fleet admiral in Starfleet, in modern Star Trek fiction. The character first appeared as an infant in "Friday's Child" and has since appeared in many more Deep Space Nine novels, as well as in Star Trek: Titan and Star Trek: Destiny. * Twilight was reprinted (with This Gray Spirit) in the 2008 omnibus These Haunted Seas. Reception *''Twilight'' made the USA Today 2002 bestseller list. (Voyages of Imagination) *''Twilight'' won the Psi Phi Award for the Best novel of 2002. The novel was also inducted into the "Hall of Fame/Best of all time" category for a Star Trek novel (along with Unity) in 2003. Related stories * Kira recalls the events of The 34th Rule. * Vaughn's mission with Captain Harriman would later be featured in the Star Trek: The Lost Era novel Serpents Among the Ruins. * Admiral Akaar mentions the events that took place after "Friday's Child". Images zwielicht.jpg|German language edition cover image. treir.jpg|Treir. eliasvaughn.jpg|Elias Vaughn. quark.jpg|Quark. Connections External link * Timeline Chronology | after1 = This Gray Spirit | prevpocket = Some Assembly Required | nextpocket = Divided We Fall | timeframe = Timeframe2 | primary = 2376 | date1 = 2376 | prevdate1 = Rising Son | nextdate1 = A Good Day to Die | date2 = 2376 | prevdate2 = A Good Day to Die | nextdate2 = Past Life }} category:books category:dS9 novels